The Western Paradise, where the Buddha resides, is a place of auspiciousness and peace, a pure land longed for by countless beings.
Although the true Buddha sits in the Pure Land, his heart is with all sentient beings.
At a Buddhist assembly a thousand years ago, the Buddha, thinking of the suffering of all beings and his inability to save them, was filled with sorrow and shed tears.
A tear accidentally fell onto the lotus flower beneath the Buddha's seat, and the budding lotus flower suddenly bloomed, giving birth to a baby.
The true Buddha, seizing this opportunity, regarded this infant as his own incarnation, allowing him to sit and study Buddhism, discussing scriptures and doctrines. This child was naturally kind, treating all living beings as his own, with compassion for all beings and pity for the world. On the day when he achieved great success in Buddhism, the true Buddha bestowed upon him the title of "Buddha's Child," naming him Agana.
After receiving the title, Agana specifically requested the True Buddha to allow him to be reborn in the human realm with a mortal body, to experience the seven sufferings of life, to taste the coldness of the world, and to feel the pain of sentient beings.
They must endure hardship and hunger, experiencing all the bitterness of the world, before they can return to the Western Paradise and revert to their Buddha-nature.
Huan Changming was Agana's last incarnation in the human world.
“Shuoyan, Huan Changming has a tragic past and is not accepted by the world. All of this is his experience as a Buddhist disciple.” Tianjun said slowly, “And the day you and Huan Changming first met in the river cave was the day when his life was supposed to end. You changed his fate and saved him.”
The Heavenly Book attempted to warn Shao Yan when he saved Agana, but the Buddha's disciple was undergoing tribulation, and the matter involved the leakage of heavenly secrets. The Heavenly Book's voice was ruthlessly suppressed by the Heavenly Dao. From then on, whenever the Heavenly Book tried to warn Shao Yan not to interfere in Agana's fate, it would be burned by heavenly fire.
He clenched his fists, his expression seemingly calm, and said, "Your Majesty, why are you telling me all this?"
The Heavenly Emperor patted him on the shoulder, "The potency of the Styx River is not enough for my divine son in Heaven to forget his past."
Lu Pianpian never forgot everything she experienced in the lower realm. She remembered it all clearly, so vividly that it was etched into her memory and she could never forget it.
Lu Pianpian looked at Tianjun with a pale face, "What would have happened to him if I hadn't saved him back then?"
"Then he has already returned to his original place and is now a disciple of Buddha in the Western Paradise."
The Heavenly Emperor sighed softly: "Shaoyan, it was you who changed his fate."
"You are the one who caused the Buddhist disciple, who is free from desires and wants, to have delusions and worldly desires for you, and thus become a demon."
"So anyone in this world can kill him. But not you."
Juntian waited quietly outside the Heavenly Lord's Palace. Before long, he saw Lu Pianpian walk out looking sad and knew that the Heavenly Lord had told him about Huan Changming's background.
Lu Pianpian's eyes were glazed over, and she almost tripped while walking on flat ground.
Jun Tian rushed over to support him, saying, "Senior Brother."
Lu Pianpian looked up at him, and Juntian said, "I've wanted to call you that for a long time."
The divine son was taciturn, and in his heart, nothing was more important than this one address of "senior brother."
Lu Pianpian grasped his hand in return and nodded gently, "Okay."
Jun Tian felt a great weight lifted from his heart. The Divine Child was different from his senior brother. He was afraid that his senior brother would have to abandon his former identity and memories after becoming the Divine Child. Fortunately, his senior brother did not.
However, he had another important matter on his mind, and asked, "Senior brother, what does the Heavenly Lord want you to do regarding Huan Changming's matter?"
Lu Pianpian recalled the Heavenly Emperor's instructions, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on her lips, "He wanted me to convert Huan Changming."
How to convert them?
"Treat others with heart, and guide them with love..."
After Lu Pianpian finished speaking, she laughed.
Huan Changming had long ago discarded the sincerity he offered with both hands, turning it into a pile of mud. Now, he was being asked to repeat the same mistake, to give his heart to Huan Changming again, to love Huan Changming—it was utterly ridiculous.
Jun Tian remained noncommittal, helping Lu Pianpian to her feet. "I'll take you home first."
Lu Pianpian shook her head, "I want to be alone for a while..."
He broke free from Juntian's support and rode away on a cloud. Juntian followed him at a distance, until he saw him being led away by the Heavenly Book, before turning away.
"My God, what's wrong?" Tian Shu, as Lu Pianpian's attendant, was sensitive to his emotions.
Lu Pianpian touched Tian Shu's face, "You were burned by heavenly fire, you suffered for me."
"I'm all better now." Tian Shu looked at him nervously. "You already know that Huan Changming is a Buddhist disciple..."
"Okay. You go play, I'll go back inside and stay for a while."
"oh……"
Tian Shu watched Lu Pianpian enter the house and considerately closed the door for him. Pianpian must be feeling very uncomfortable right now, so it's best not to disturb him.
He sat back down by the water to fish, sighing as he did so. If his cultivation were a little higher and he weren't afraid of the Heavenly Dao's suppression, he could have stopped Pianpian when he was in the lower realm.
Thinking about this, he couldn't even continue fishing.
The Heavenly Book put away its fishing rod, transformed back into its original form, flew up to a tree, and began to concentrate on meditation and cultivation.
A strange figure soon appeared in the woods outside the house.
Lu Feng held his breath and looked around carefully. Then he went outside and said softly, "I am Lu Feng, a disciple of the Immortal Abode Academy. I injured my head in class the other day, and the Divine Child gave me a handkerchief to wipe it. I have come to return it today..."
He waited for a while, but no one answered him, so he pushed open the door and went inside. A strong smell of alcohol hit him.
Lu Pianpian leaned against the corner of the wall, with several empty wine jars already rolled around her.
Lu Feng walked quickly to him and saw that his eyes were unfocused and his cheeks were flushed, clearly indicating that he was drunk, but he was still holding the wine jar in his arms and refused to let go.
Lu Feng cautiously squatted down in front of Lu Pianpian, intending to take the wine jar from her arms. As soon as he touched it, Lu Pianpian slapped his hand hard. "Who... are you?"
Lu Feng withdrew his hand. "I am a disciple of the Immortal Abode Academy."
"What brings you, disciples of the Immortal Abode and the Academy, to me?"
Lu Pianpian was so drunk that he swayed, and Lu Feng reached out to support his shoulder. "You gave me your handkerchief last time, so I'm returning it to you."
He took out the handkerchief he kept close to his body, picked it up, washed it, and restored it to its original state.
Lu Pianpian rubbed her eyes, still unable to see the handkerchief clearly, so she simply closed them. "Here you go..."
He found the handkerchief on the road but could not get it, so he put it back into his bosom and kept it close to his body.
He gazed at Lu Pianpian's flushed face, like a lowly mortal coveting a deity, and reached out as if facing an abyss, gently stroking Lu Pianpian's face. "Why is the divine child drunk? Has something troubled you?"
Lu Pianpian didn't speak, but picked up the wine jar with both hands and drank it down. Lu Feng reached out to snatch it, placing the jar behind him. "Drinking is bad for your health. If you have any worries, you can tell me."
Lu Pianpian flew into a rage, "Even you dare to interfere with me?"
Lu Feng was taken aback. Lu Pianpian grabbed his collar and pulled him in front of her. "In your eyes, am I unworthy of having feelings?"
"That was not my intention..."
“I gave him my heart, I gave him my life, but he scorned me! He didn’t want it! Why should I humble myself and try to convert him again? Just because he is a reincarnation of a Buddha?” Lu Pianpian cried out hoarsely, “Yes… I saved him and blocked his path to Buddhahood, but was I wrong to save him? He begged me to save him! Now that I’ve saved him, it’s become a mistake!”
"Saving him was a mistake, ruining his life was a mistake, causing him to become a demon was a mistake, it's all my fault!"
"On what grounds?"
"Why am I the one who made the mistake?!"
When he was Lu Pianpian, he saved Huan Changming and defied fate to change Huan Changming's destiny simply because he genuinely cared for Huan Changming. Now, however, it has become that he has harmed Huan Changming.
The bones he dug up, the wings he broke—everything he did became worthless.
Those things that were as precious to him as his life not only failed to help Huan Changming, but actually hindered his destiny to become a Buddha.
He thought his actions were worthy of heaven and earth, but now it seems like a complete joke.
Even he himself found it funny.
Lu Pianpian was extremely aggrieved and furious, but he was the divine son of the heavens, and all the supreme gods and Buddhas were watching him. He should do what a divine son should do.
With compassion for all living beings and a heart full of pity for the world, he listened to the words of the Heavenly Emperor and went to convert Huan Changming.
But even God has a heart.
His heart had long been torn to shreds by Huan Changming, burned to ashes in the great fire of the bone-burning furnace.
Huan Changming felt that the "he" in Lu Pianpian's words sounded like himself, but he didn't know the background and couldn't make a judgment.
Seeing his beloved so heartbroken and tormented by "him," his heart was also pierced.
He pulled Lu Pianpian into his arms, gently stroking her back to comfort her, "If you don't want to do it, then don't. If anyone dares to force you, I'll kill them."
Huan Changming had finally found his Pianpian, and he would never let anyone bully him again. "Don't be sad. I want you to be as carefree as before."
Lu Pianpian finally let out all the words she had been holding back. Now, slightly drunk, she looked at the person in front of her, whose face was blurred, and asked, "Who are you?"
Huan Changming kissed his reddened eyes tenderly, "I've come to confess to you... the one who wanted to be with you."
His kiss was like soft, dense needles, a gentle touch that left a tingling, itchy sensation that jolted Lu Pianpian awake, causing her to push him away abruptly.
"Who exactly are you?" Lu Pianpian stood up unsteadily, leaning against the wall, and wiped the spot near her eye where she had been kissed with the back of her hand, her expression one of disgust.
Fearing his identity would be exposed, Huan Changming quickly explained again, "I am a disciple of the Immortal Abode Academy, and I have long admired the Divine Child. I was impolite just now, and I beg the Divine Child to forgive me..."
Lu Pianpian frowned, "A book from heaven!"
The Heavenly Book interrupted its meditation and rushed in, asking, "What happened, Divine Child?"
"Take him out." Lu Pianpian turned her back. "From now on, he is not allowed to come in without my permission!"
"yes……"
Tian Shu tugged at Huan Changming's sleeve, "What are you still standing here for? Don't disturb my divine son."
Huan Changming knew that if he stayed any longer, Lu Pianpian would become suspicious, so he obediently let Tian Shu pull him out of the house.
The moment he stepped over the threshold, the two doors slammed shut with a bang, clearly indicating the owner's displeasure.
Tian Shu looked at Huan Changming suspiciously, "How exactly did you sneak in?"
Huan Changming feigned meekness and said, "I only came to return the Divine Child's things. Seeing that no one was guarding them, I took the liberty of going in. I saw the Divine Child drowning his sorrows in alcohol, so I wanted to help him. But I was clumsy... Not only did I fail to help the Divine Child, but I also made him dislike me."
Tian Shu was simple-minded. Seeing his dejected look, she comforted him instead, "Our Divine Child is usually very kind to people. It's just that you came at the wrong time today and ran into him in a bad mood."
Huan Changming probed indirectly, "May I ask what is causing your low mood, Divine Child?"
"That's none of your business! Go back to your school and continue your studies!"
The Heavenly Book called out to shoo people away, and Huan Changming glanced behind him out of the corner of his eye, reminding himself not to be impatient.
Two hundred years ago, his impatience ruined both Pianpian and himself. This time, he must remain calm.
"Thank you for your guidance. I will take my leave now. Please take good care of the divine child, celestial attendant."
Tian Shu rolled his eyes at him, "He's my family's divine son, do you think you can lecture me? Get out of here!"
Huan Changming nodded and left. He already had a plan in mind. He wanted to find out what was the reason that had made his Pianpian so depressed and lost.
One day in heaven is equivalent to one year on earth.